Tips on winter colour, pests and lawn care

Plant baskets and containers for winter colour

To get the best displays from your winter and spring hanging baskets and containers, plant them now. Plants to use include ivy, dwarf conifers and dwarf shrubs, winter-flowering pansies, hardy primulas and polyanthus. Add bulbs to extend the display. Check out our extensive range of plants, containers, baskets, basket liners, brackets and compost and remember to add a controlled-release fertiliser.

Plants of the month

Keep your garden full of colour throughout autumn with our plants of the month. Choose from ericas, hydrangeas, potentillas, asters, echinacea, phlox, rudbeckias, hardy chrysanthemums, cyclamen and winter-flowering pansies. Remember plants that are grown for berries, autumn foliage colours and the wide range of evergreens.

Pest watch

As temperatures start to drop, outdoor pests become less active and diseases start to become dormant but you should still stay vigilant. Clearing away leaves and other debris will remove hiding places for pests. Fallen diseased leaves should be raked up and destroyed. Badly diseased stems and branches are best pruned away. The cooler, damper weather means that slugs and snails will become more active so protect vulnerable plants with a suitable control or trap. This is also the last time you can treat plants for vine weevil grubs. Spray peaches and nectarines to help protect against peach leaf curl. Indoors, pests and diseases will remain active. Early identification of a problem will ensure it doesn’t get out of control so check your plants regularly for telltale signs. If your plants have a problem just ask one of our friendly staff to help you choose a suitable product to deal with it.

Make a new lawn

September is the best time to make a new lawn or replace one that is past its best. Good preparation is the key to success so work over the soil incorporating compost or composted bark. Rake and level the ground, walk over it to settle the soil, add some general granular fertiliser and rake again. Water well and keep the soil moist to ensure rapid establishment. Don’t forget to pick up all the products you need or ask any of our team for help if you need more advice.